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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · scale · leaves · saw · row · temple · lash · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. club — a group
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. club — for dancing
  13. object — a thing
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. object — an aim
  21. club — for golf
  22. scale — size or range
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. row — a line

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com